Stormbreaker vs. Mjolnir: Which of Thor's weapons is more powerful?
Marvel's Thor wields both the Mjonlir hammer and the Stormbreaker ax in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but which weapon is the strongest?
Throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor wields many different weapons, the most powerful being Mjolnir and Stormbreaker, but which of the two is more powerful? Thor is the self-proclaimed "strongest Avenger", and after Hela destroys Mjolnir in Thor Ragnarok, fans can even see Thor realize the full potential of his abilities without his trusty hammer. But after helping build the mystical Stormbreaker ax in Avengers: Infinity War, the question is, which of these weapons is the fiercest?
Stormbreaker and Mjolnir are two weapons that know Thor himself, but there is a difference. Only those deemed worthy by the Mjolnir hammer can wield it, but the same rules don't apply for Stormbreaker. In Thor's first movie, when Odin banishes Thor from Asgard, he sends Mjolnir with him and exclaims, "Whoever holds this hammer, if worthy, will possess Thor's power." This means that if the hammer considers someone worthy, that person will be able to handle it, regardless of their physical strength.
Audiences have only seen two characters besides Thor wield Mjolnir, Vision picks up Mjolnir in Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America wields him in Avengers: Endgame. There was a joke in Avengers: Endgame, where Captain America uses Stormbreaker and Thor, uses Mjolnir, and Thor tells Captain America "No. No, you're taking the little one" and makes Cap drive the smaller Mjolnir, suggesting that Thor prefers Stormbreaker. This quote is, of course, a joke, but perhaps it plays a small role in which of the two weapons is, in fact, the more powerful.
Stormbreaker's powers in the MCU
Fans have only been able to see Thor's mystical battle-ax, Stormbreaker, in action in two MCU movies, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, so information on what abilities he has is limited. In Infinity War, Thor goes to Nidavellir with Groot and Rocket to create a weapon so powerful that it could kill Thanos. In Nidavellir, the character Eitri helps Thor make Stormbreaker. Eitri says that Stormbreaker is "the weapon of a king, destined to be the greatest in Asgard and theoretically can even summon the Bifrost." In Avengers: Infinity War, Thor teleports to Wakanda by summoning the Bifrost through Stormbreaker, so he does indeed have that ability. The public can also clearly see during the Battle of Wakanda, Thor throws Stormbreaker at Thanos and cuts off even the power of the six Infinity Stones, ultimately impaling him in the chest. Also in Avengers: Endgame, Thor cuts off Thanos's head using Stormbreaker. With these events, it can be deduced that Stormbreaker is powerful enough to overcome six Infinity Stones and kill Thanos, something that Mjolnir was unable to do.
There are more common abilities for Thor that Stormbreaker possesses. Stormbreaker can not only focus, but also enhance Thor's abilities. Thor can use the ax to change the weather, summon lightning, and use it as a weapon. Like Mjolnir, Stormbreaker allows Thor to fly at super speeds and summon him with his hand. Another similarity between Stormbreaker and Mjolnir is that they are both made from a cosmic metal called Uru, which makes the ax almost indestructible. It's safe to say that Stormbreaker can't be destroyed by anything the public has seen in the MCU thus far.
One power that Stormbreaker lacks is Odin's "dignity" charm. Anyone physically strong enough to lift and use the Stormbreaker can use it. They do not have the power of Thor, so they cannot fly or summon lightning using it, but they can use it only as a powerful battle-ax. In Avengers: Endgame, Thanos and Thor fight one-on-one in the climactic ending. Thanos intercepts Stormbreaker as Thor calls for it and uses it to nearly impale Thor in the chest, but thankfully, Captain America intervened. It is unclear if Stormbreaker will ever receive the "dignity" charm because Odin himself is now dead. However, it's safe to speculate that Stormbreaker and Thor will return in the upcoming sequel, Thor: Love and Thunder.
Mjolnir's powers in the MCU
Mjolnir is the hammer that has almost been like his own character in the MCU until now. Fans have seen Thor and Mjolnir be as inseparable as possible since Thor's release in 2011 and Mjolnir has displayed many powers and abilities since then. Unlike Stormbreaker, Mjolnir is specific to Thor. It was bestowed on him by his father Odin, and due to the enchantment Odin put on him, only a select few people have the ability to lift the hammer, let alone wield it. Thor can summon Mjolnir as all he needs to do is reach out his hand and he will arrive. Mjolnir also gives Thor the power to fly, as we've seen Thor lacking that ability without the hammer in recent movies. Thor, using Mjolnir, can also affect the weather and summon lightning bolts as his own personal weapon.
One power Mjolnir does not have is invulnerability. Although the hammer is made from the enchanted metal Uru just like Stormbreaker, in Thor Ragnarok, Mjolnir was destroyed by Hela, and also quite easily. Thor did not know this was possible, so it is difficult to know who, or what can destroy Mjolnir. It is safe speculation that based on Eitri's comments on Stormbreaker, Stormbreaker cannot be destroyed as easily as Mjolnir was.
Although Stormbreaker and Mjolnir have very similar properties and powers, Stormbreaker is the more powerful of the two that Thor can wield. The obvious reasons are that Stormbreaker is the physically larger weapon of the two, and not to mention that it is an ax, which is more dangerous than a hammer. Stormbreaker also appears to be more powerful in the movies, as he had the ability to impale and kill Thanos, while also mastering the power of six Infinity Stones. Another fact that has been mentioned above is that Mjolnir was destroyed by Hela and, as it seems, Stormbreaker cannot be broken that easily.
The last thing to consider, and it really gives Stormbreaker the advantage of the two, is that Stormbreaker can summon the Bifrost. This means that, while holding the ax, Thor has the ability to travel virtually anywhere in the nine realms in an instant. That ability is something he cannot do with Mjolnir. It seems that Thor enjoys both weapons; after all, he seemed very happy to find out that he was still worthy in Avengers: Endgame. But as mentioned above, it seems he prefers Stormbreaker of the two, and rightly so, because it gives him the best advantage over his enemies, in a way that Mjolnir doesn't.
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